Jeremiah Rice
Contributing since July, 2012
-
1288articles
Page 58
About Jeremiah Rice
Jeremiah is a US-based blogger who bought a Nexus One the day it came out and never looked back. In his spare time he watches Star Trek, cooks eggs, and completely fails to write novels.
Latest Articles
Adventure games have had something of a renaissance on mobile platforms, and if any series deserves to be in that small and nerdy company, it's Broken Sword. The first game, Shadow of the Templars, was a definite hit when it was released to the Play Store earlier this year, gaining more than a hundred thousand downloads and a score of 4.8. The sequel (originally released in 1997) is now available for a paltry four dollars.
Gather round, armchair SEALs: Gameloft has got another military magnum opus for you. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is available now on the Play Store for seven bones, and purports to work with Android 2.3 and up. But since this series tends to push the boundaries of mobile graphical power (if not originality,) you'll probably need a relatively new Android device to run it well. You'll also need a good bit of space - it weighs in at nearly 2GB. 8GB Nexus 7 and Nexus 4 owners, clear up some room.
Baseball is America's game. There's nothing more classic than breaking out the old Louisville Slugger for a round of pick-up, and adding sexy nurses and super-deformed dark knights in no way detracts from the feeling of nostalgia. Such is the case with the well-established Baseball Superstars franchise, which Gamevil is bringing back for another round on Android. The 2013 release was previously restricted to South Korea, Gamevil's home country, but now it's available worldwide with plenty of language options. It's a free download.
If you're like me, you regularly forget your data cable at home, in hotels or at the 24-hour Pokemon Trading Card Repository. In such cases, 2011's New App of the Year, AirDroid, is a lifesaver. It's an incredibly comprehensive remote management app that lets you access your Android device via a desktop web browser, complete with file management, app installations, photo browser, and lots more. The creators are ready to step up their game with the second version of AirDroid, and have set up an invite-only beta.
Twelve years ago, Sega released a game for its brand-spanking new Dreamcast system that was so stunningly original its influences can still be seen today. Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio for US gamers) became an instant sleeper hit, and has earned its cult classic status. The impressive, stylish visuals, unique gameplay and awesome music are still remember fondly by my generation. Now that Android hardware has caught up to and in many ways surpassed the old beige box, Sega has re-released Jet Set Radio for the mobile world. You can pick it up on the Google Play Store for $4.99.
There's a reason that the Nexus 4 has been sold out almost since it hit the Play Store: for custom ROM enthusiasts, buying anything else is a crapshoot. Assuming that the bootloader is unlocked (or can be,) you've just got to hope there's enough adoption among ROM developers to ensure a steady stream of builds. Owners of T-Mobile's former flagship, the HTC Amaze 4G, have had relatively good options in this area, and they just got a little better: the CyanogenMod team has released official nightly builds of CM10. Owners of the older Sensation 4G can also join the party.
Gamevil's Zenonia franchise has been impossible to ignore on Android, if only because there have been four relatively high-budget releases in as many years. The fifth installment of the action RPG series, subtitled "Wheel Of Destiny" in the continuing tradition of semi-meaningless JRPG convention, is available now. It's a free download for anyone running Android 2.2 or later.
If you've ever enjoyed a game with cartoony cell-shaded visuals, graffiti, and an incredible attention to licensed music, you've got Sega's Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio in the original Dreamcast US version) to thank. There are more than a few gamers who keep the ol' beige box plugged in just for this little gem. But now they don't have to: Jet Set Radio is available for Android today, and it's just five bones in the Google Play Store.
Well hello there, Galaxy Axiom - where have you been hiding? We spotted it on Google's Wallet support site, and this budget LTE phone seems to have been slipped into the lineup of US Cellular without the carrier or Samsung itself making much of a fuss. What's even more interesting is that it's certified for Google Wallet, since US Cellular is blissfully without an ISIS-flavored conflict of interest when it comes to mobile payments. The price on the website is showing as $399.99 outright or $79.99 with a two-year contract, though that may vary by location.
It's time for yet another Nvidia-only game with the "THD" label, and like the excellent Zombie Driver, it's a pilgrim from the PC and console shores. Hamilton's Great Adventure has been a sleeper hit on Steam and the PlayStation 3, thanks to its adventure game presentation and challenging, go-at-your-own-pace puzzle structure. You follow the exploits of Indiana Hamilton and his pet bird Sasha, as they trounce around ancient ruins in search of the Fluxatron, which Hamilton's professor buddy needs to finish his Transmorphanizer. For some reason. THe game is available today in two parts, at $3.99 each.
Ho there, adventurers! Are you tired of running through the jungle, and ready to do some actual exploring? Then Hamilton's Great Adventure might just be for you. It's the latest in Nvidia's stable of ported games exclusive to Tegra hardware. Don't let the title fool you: Hamilton's Great Adventure is in fact a puzzle gam through and through, with some light twitching and platforming elements for some extra spice. The game is available now, at a pricy $3.99 split up into two chapters.
There are many ways to show your support for Android beyond your device itself, and some of them are even tasteful. If you've bought every Bugdroid-sporting case, T-shirt and bumper sticker, there's just one thing left: a green robot Micro-USB charger. Of course, the Android mascot's ubiquitous shade of green isn't for everybody, so Andru creators Gen have been preparing a darker version to match your ebony desk and jet-black monitors.
The perennial favorite of Firefox and Chrome power users has arrived. Adblock Plus for Android was just released to the Google Play Store, compatible with all devices running 2.1 or higher. Just like its desktop counterparts, it'll block ads in your browser... but only in certain circumstances. Those who are rooted (regardless of Android version) will block all ads in the standard browser and Chrome. If you're not rooted, it'll block ads on WiFi for Android 3.1 or later.
Well, folks, we don't want to say we told you so. But if you'll take a look at any app in the web version of the Google Play Store, you'll see that almost all of the reviews have had the name entry changed to "A Google User." Try to add a review, and you'll find that you're required to do so from your Google+ account.
Netflix has been gently updating and adding features ever since it debuted on Android, and while today's addition isn't earth-shattering, it'll be welcome to anyone with a shiny new Nexus device. The primary addition to the 2.1 update is full support for Android 4.2, but the player UI has also gotten a pretty big facelift. Bigger buttons and more transparent elements make it a lot easier to pinpoint tracking, and the whole thing seems at least superficially faster.
Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
We touched lightly on Orgarhythm THD back in June, but it's finally hit the Play Store, at least for those of you rocking Nvidia Tegra-based phones and tablets. Formerly a PlayStation Vita exclusive, it's a strange mix of strategy and rhythm games that looks a lot like a more serious, groovy version of Nintendo's Pikmin. The music game comes from Acquire, the same Japanese developer that brought us the visually interesting but ultimately disappointing Sumioni. Screenshots really don't do Orgarhythm justice, so check the video below (PS Vita version).
Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
There are a lot of reasons to like Republic Wireless, the forward-looking unlimited hybrid 3G/WiFi mobile virtual network operator that started an invite-only beta earlier this year. The invite-only part is not one of them. If you've been waiting for your chance to try out Republic's super-cheap plans, then you won't have to wait much longer: the company announced on its blog that it will soon be open to all applicants. All you've got to do is pre-order the company's only available phone, the Motorola DEFY XT, for $259. There's just one plan: unlimited (yes, really unlimited) talk, text and data for $19 a month.
Android gamers, count your blessings: the fourth Humble Bundle has just added a handful of cheap, charity-beneficent games. The standard five games (Splice, Eufloria, Waking Mars, Crayola Physics Deluxe, and Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP) are still available, as is the bonus game for paying more than the average name-your-own price. But now, in addition to Machinarium, you'll get Avadon: The Black Fortress, Canabalt, Cogs, Swords & Soldiers HD, and Zen Bound 2 as well.